Coaster and process for making



Feb. 4, 1964 H. F. STOFFEL 3,120,077

COASTER AND PROCESS FOR MAKING Filed May 31, 1961 H63 INVENTOR H. F.STOFFEL BY z/MM fv I ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,126,077 CQASTER ANDPROCESS FQR MAKENG Hans F. Stoliel, Scarsdale, Nil. (63 Main St,Tuckahoe, NY.) Filed May 31, 1961, Sea. No. 113,857 4 Claims. (Cl.45--68.4)

This invention relates to supports and more particularly to a coasterfor a tumbler and the process for making the same. The use of pad-s orcoasters for beverage glasses has come into general use. Various typesof coasters have been made of numerous materials and at varying cost.Such materials have included leather, cardboard and other pressed fibersand sheet material.

Coasters made from material such as leather are usually reinforced withstiffening material such as wood and hence are relatively bulky andexpensive. Coasters of nominal expense, such as those from cardboard andpressed materials, tend to absorb moisture or become broken and unfitfor use after a limited time and hence are lacking in durability.

Coasters of sheet metal have heretofore tended to Warp, thereby causingunsteadiness or rocking. Attempts to use a molded plastic rim having asheet metal center have been hampered by the tendency of the sheet metalto warp and its resisting the normal shrinkage of the plastic rim duringcuring, thereby resulting in the latter cracking.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide acoaster having a sheet insert of relatively rigid material such as metaland a molded plastic rim, which is durable and inexpensive, and in whichthe insert is maintained substantially fiat.

A further object is to provide a process for the manu- 'facture of acoaster having a relatively rigid sheet insert and a molded plastic rimand in which normal shrinkage of the rim is permitted and hence does nottend to produce cracking thereof.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, inwhich FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a coaster in accordance withthe present invention and illustrating the manner of use;

FIG. 2, a plan view of the coaster; and

FIG. 3, an enlarged fragmentary section illustrating the shrinkageeffect during curing.

Briefly stated, the coaster of the present invention includes a moldedrim of substantial thickness with a thin insert of sheet material suchas aluminum having embossed stifiening ribs and a curled periphery, thelatter of which is mounted in the rim and preferably positioned out ofcenter with reference to its thickness, the embossing and the curledperiphery increasing the strength and rigidity of the sheet member andtending to maintain it substantially flat, and the positioning out ofcenter with reference to the rim permitting normal shrinkage of thelatter without cracking.

With further reference to the drawing, there is illustrated a coasterhaving a central sheet portion and a rim 11. The sheet portion ispreferably formed from thin sheet metal such as aluminum and has raisedor embossed relatively narrow lineal areas 12 which are distributed tocover a major portion of its area and angularly disposed to each otherin order to strengthen the sheet portion and resist flexing or warping.The periphery preferably has a curled periphery formed by a raised rib14 to add further strength and to assist in anchoring it within the rim.The raised portions 12 serve the additional function of supporting thebottom of a glass G out of contact with the flat portion of the sheetmember ll) and hence reduce the possibility, when the glass is moist orliquid has spilled onto the coaster, of the latters sticking to thebottom of the glass as it is lifted.

T he rim 11 is preferably formed from a plastic such as polyethylenewhich may be molded directly onto the periphery of the sheet portion Therim is of substantial thickness or height, and the periphery of thesheet portion is desirably positioned out of center with respectthereto, as, for example, approximately one-third or onequarter of thedistance from the lower surface of the rim. Such positioning out ofcenter permits the upper portion of the rim to shrink inwardly, asindicated in broken lines in FIG. 3, such shrinkage being a normaloccurrence following the molding of such plastic for ap proximately sixdays. Said shrink-age may cause very slight, almost undetectable, bowingof the sheet portion it), as indicated in the drawing in broken lines.However, such bowing, if it occurs, is not noticeable to the user anddoes not detract from the quality of the coaster. As a result of thepositioning of the sheet portion out of center of the rim, the majorportion of the rim may contract, and thus the danger of cracksdeveloping, which is likely if contraction is prevented, is obviated.

The coaster of the present invention is compact, attractive, lightweightand may be produced at nominal cost. Hence, it is well adapted for useas an advertising or promotion-a1 give-away item.

Accordingly, it will be seen that the invention includes a coasterhaving a relatively thin, relatively stiff sheet insert and a molded rimwhich is relatively thick and with the sheet insert preferablypositioned substantially out of center in order to permit ordinaryshrinkage to occur after molding of the rim.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the described embodiment of the invention without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is notlimited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in thespecification, but only as indicated in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A coaster comprising a relatively thin, fiat sheet insert formed ofrelatively stifi bendable material and having embossed, angularlydisposed lineal areas distributed over a major portion of its area andhaving a raised peripheral portion, and a rim of relatively greatthickness molded onto and enclosing the peripheral portion of theinsert, said insert being positioned out of center in said rim.

2. A coaster having a relatively thick plastic rim, a relatively thinsheet metal central portion of a material which is relatively easy tobend and having angularly disposed stiffening ribs Within its interiorand a channel edge portion embedded in the rim and disposedsubstantially out of center therewith.

3. A coaster comprising a relatively thick plastic rim, and a relativelythin stilt central portion with its periphery embedded within the rim,said central portion being disposed substantially out of center withrespect to said rim.

4. The invention of claim 3 in which the rim is of a plastic of the typewhich shrinks during curing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,601,312 McGrew June 24, 1952 2,787,085 Auer Apr. 2, 1957 7,796,635Harvender June 25, 1957 2,893,163 Hazel July 7, 1959

1. A COASTER COMPRISING A RELATIVELY THIN, FLAT SHEET INSERT FORMED OFRELATIVELY STIFF BENDABLE MATERIAL AND HAVING EMBOSSED, ANGULARLYDISPOSED LINEAL AREAS DISTRIBUTED OVER A MAJOR PORTION OF ITS AREA ANDHAVING A RAISED PERIPHERAL PORTION, AND A RIM OF RELATIVELY GREATTHICKNESS MOLDED ONTO AND ENCLOSING THE PERIPHERAL PORTION OF THEINSERT, SAID INSERT BEING POSITIONED OUT OF CENTER IN SAID RIM.